Storage battery carrier



Sept. 15,1942. L. s. wlLLlAMsoN STORAGE BATTERV').I CRRIER Filed June '7, 1941 Patented Sept. 15, 1942 STORAGE BATTERY CARRIER Leon S. Williamson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor of one-half to Modistc L. Le Gro, Minneapolis, Mi

Iln.

Application June 7, 1941, Serial No. 397,030

8 Claims.

This invention relates to article carriers and more particularly to devices for carrying storage batteries.

A number of different tools have been devised for carrying batteries. beneath the cell connecting straps or they are adapted to engage the battery posts by means of some quick detachable connector. One common type of carrier employs relatively flat apertured plates which are adapted to fit over the battery posts and grip them when the plates are tilted at an angle, these plates being connected to the ends of handle straps. However, due to corrosion and Wear the apertured plates frequently do not t properly and the battery may slip and be dropped and broken.

Itis an object of my invention to provide a battery carrier which includes post gripping units which have a positive and quick acting gripping action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a battery carrier wherein the post gripping units can be interchangeably connected with either the positive or negative posts of a battery, such posts usually being of different sizes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a battery carrier with means for initially gripping the post and additional means for increasing the gripping action as the battery is lifted up and maintaining it the entire time it is suspended from the carrier.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a battery carrier having an improved adjustable handle strap to make it quickly adaptable for batteries which vary considerably in length.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the Views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my carrier with a portion of the storage battery turned obliquely and having the carrier attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section takenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the handle and its cooperating straps.

In Fig. 1 there is shown the upper portion of a conventional electric storage battery 5. A cell connecting strap 6 is shown as well as ter- They usually either hookV is a gripping unit including jaws 8 and 5. Said jaws are pivotally connected intermediate their ends by means of pins I6, and a spring II' is coiled around lthe pin I6 with its ends engaging the inner side walls of the jaws 8 and 9. As best shown in Fig. 1, the ends of the spring extend upwardly above the pivot I6 thus tending to force the upper ends of jaws 8 and 9 apart and, of course, bringing the lower ends of said jaws together. Said lower ends of said jaws 8 and 9 are best shown in Fig. 2 and include portions I2 and I3 which have substantially semicircular cut-outs defined by a series of teeth to provide non-slipping gripping portions for said jaws. Pivotally connected to each of the jaws 9 are cam members I II which move about a pin I5 extended between the sides of the jaw 9. Each pair of cam members I4 has pivotally connected to its downwardly and outwardly eX- tending portions a strap I6 which has a metal clip I'I bent around a pivot pin I8 which extends between the cam members I4. There is a separate strap I6 for each pair of cam members I4 and pair of jaws 8 and 9. The other end of each strap I6 has a plate I9 riveted or otherwise secured thereto, and said plate has laterally extending projections 20 which are wider than the remainder of the strap.

A lifting and carrying handle ZI is shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and this handle is generally U- shaped in cross section with a pair of inwardly turned ears 22 at its ends. These ears provide retainer loops for the straps I6. The sides of the handle 2| are provided with upstanding generally T-shaped catches V23 and the heads of the members 23 denne notches 24 and 25. The laterally projecting portions of the plates I9 o-n the ends of the straps I6 are adapted to lie in the notches 24 and 25 to retain the straps in proper association with the handle 2 I. As viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, the straps are arranged for a conventionally sized battery. When a longer battery is to be carried the straps I6 must be lengthened so that the gripping jaws 8 and 9 can reach the two contact posts of the battery.

` In this case the straps can be disengaged from minal posts 1. Mounted on each terminal post the members 23 and the sockets which they dene and the strap plates I9 can be slipped down toward the opposite end of the handle 2| to engage notches formed by the members 23 at the opposite ends.

It should also be noted that there is provided a separable snap fastener 26 which is indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 and while the details of this fastener are not shown it is of a conventional type such as the usual glove fastener. It is used to separably connect the two straps I6 adjacent their overlying ends since the straps are relatively stiff and when there is no weight imposed upon them they are likely to become disengaged from the T shaped catches 23.

When a battery is to be picked up and moved the user of the ...device initially .resident the jaws S-.and 9 on the battery posts byjpressing them together at their upper ends so that the lower ends of the jaws will separate and easily slip onto the binding posts 1. The springsII in the gripping jaws will retain the Yjayyscnthe posts. Then the handle 2l is grasped and pulled upwardly, and as the weightvoffthe battery resists the upward pull the-'straps I6 will pull the cam members I4 upwardly around the pivots I5 causing the upper or outer endsof .said-.camzmembers I4 to press against the innerY wall of the upper end of each of the jaws 8 with considerable ferte, .and .thelower ends ef zthe awe 18 ,and" 9 will befrressedteward eaehemette-tightly grip the binding-pests ef theeattery-in a marmer -Whieh prevents. slippage.. When-the battery has been carried to-the desired locationit canbe placed Onthe ereimd and the @am members I4 `will @relieved-ofthe .tension whiehfhasbn placed on themsothat 'the pairs roffiaws .eanfbe pressed togetherat their upper entier-t .qnszkly and easily releasethe devieefrom the binding -pestsi of the. battery .5.

lt isimnortant t0 note that my battery carrier 11s adaptable ier erippinebattery pests without either thepositive orrnegative -post of the battery. 'These-,battery posts .are of different sizes on indiyidual'batteries and heretoforecarriers 4have been made ,withone gripping element of a size to i'lt ,the ypositive terminal and the V,other gripping element of a differentfsi-ze to -fi-t tthe negativeterminal. Furthermoraasstated in lthe beginning of.- the specification, my Vdevice-Will operate eiiiciently even though the terminal -posts may have ibecome considerably worn.

:The device is .one whichcan be economically formed withmostgof the parts Iof sheetmetaLand it can be` folded intoia rathercompact .unit/when notI in use. Its constructiontis such .that it will t battery posts oa number of sizes without any adjustment and'due .to the.- weight ofthe battery the gripping'force applied is .such thateven if quicklyand moreo'r lesscarelessly applied it will still hold batteries safely.

It will, of course, be understoodzthat .various changes may be made in the formfdetails, 1arrangement and proportions .of thevariousparts without departing from-the ,scope vof my invention.

What is claimedis:

1. A carrier for storage batteriesand the like comprising, a -pair of ljaw elements pivoted .to-

-gether intermediatetheir ends, one end of said `erating substantially semi-circular battery post engaging portions, a spring interposed between said jaws to impart an initial gripping action thereto', a cam device pivotally connected to one Yof vsaid jjaws at the opposite end thereof from said post Y,engaging portions and swingable to engage iwith,theet-'her of said jaws to forcibly supplement the gripping action of said spring, and a handle connected to said cam device and o'p- Aerable -when lifted upwardly to` bring said cam deviceinto engagement with the other of said jaws.

fi. Acarrier for storage batteries and the like comprising, a pair of grippingunits each made up of a pair of pivoted jaws, the pivotal connections between said jaws being intermediate the ends thereof, acam device .on one jaw of each pairand swingable into engagement with the other of a pair to spread the jaws adjacent said cam `device and to force said jawstogetherat other portions to grip a battery post, said cam de- ,vices including outwardly extending portions di- A.said handle.

5. A carrier for .storage batteriesand thev like comprising, a pair fof jaws pivotally connected intermediate their ends, .said .jawshaving battery postgripping portions, said .gripping y,por-tions comprising oppositely disposed sets of teethon said jaws, .springmeans carried by said jaws to .urge-the gripping `portions of said jaws toward leach Vother,.said 'spring means exerting an initial relatively weak gripping action on said jaws suilicient to maintain them in position on aY battery post, and lmeans .associated .with said jaws for `forcibly spreading said ljaws apart at one end and togetherat their gripping portions supplementary to .the action of said spring means.

.6. A carrier for storage batteries and the like comprising, a pair of battery post engaging .units adaptedy to be removably engaged .with said posts, a `carrying handle V.disposed substantially horizontally in carrying position, and a pair of straps interconnecting said vpost gripping units and said handle, and the ends of said straps engaging said handle being .adjustably movable yrelative to said handle to shorten or Vlengthen thef overall dimensions of said strap and handle assembly between said Ypair of post `gripping units 7. A carrier for storage batteries and the like comprising, a pair of battery post engaging units, a handle having a plurality of spaced strap Aengaging portions-a pair of straps each having an end connected respectively to one of said gripping units, and the other end of each strap having means forengaging and being retained -bysaid spaced strap engaging portions of said handle.

8. The structure i n claim 7 and said straps overlapping at those ends thereof Awhich engage said handle, and means for detachably connectingsaid ends of said straps.

` LEQN S. WILLIAMSON. 

